Veneers are thin porcelain shells that go over the front of your teeth to improve the shape, size and/or color of your teeth. They are a great way to achieve the smile that you have always wanted if your front teeth are not shaped ideally. If taken care of, veneers can last up to 20 years because they can be bonded to your enamel, which creates a much stronger seal with your tooth than we can get reliably with posterior crowns or fillings.
It is imperative to brush twice a day and use either a Waterpik or floss once a day to maintain the health of your veneers. As with any restoration, there is an edge where the veneer meets the tooth, which is the most common location for breakdown to occur. Proper care will help prevent that from happening. It is also important to wear your bite-splint or retainers at night to prevent excess wear on the veneers and prevent tooth movement. A bite-splint will help prevent the thin veneer material from chipping and cracking.
We put a lot of planning into creating your veneers. Generally, the first appointment is to plan out your goals and what esthetic improvements you would like to achieve with your veneers. We then take records to have our lab wax up and plan out the shape and size of veneers that would best compliment your smile. Once the plan is in place, Dr. Dyras or Dr. Bedro will prepare your teeth for the veneers and make temporary veneers for you to wear home. The temporary veneers can be a trial run to see how you like the shape and size, and to confirm that we are happy with the plan. The last visit would be to cement or bond the veneers to your teeth. We occasionally will do follow up appointments to fine tune the veneers and make sure they are achieving our goals.
Veneers are great for patients who have small teeth or have gaps between their teeth that they would like closed. They are not appropriate if you already have crowns or fillings on the teeth, however the same effect can be achieved with a crown. There are some cases that will have veneers on some teeth and crowns on others so that they will all match and last a long time.
We prioritize communication with our patients and with our lab to make sure you receive the most predictable and beautiful result with your veneers. We listen to your concerns and help establish your goals so you can get the smile you have always wanted! Please give us a call today to see if Veneers are right for you!
